#VeteranOfTheDay Army Veteran Arthur Lorelli

Today’s #VeteranOfTheDay is Army Veteran Arthur Lorelli. Arthur served from 1943 to 1972 during World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

Arthur Lorelli enlisted in the Army in 1943 from his home state of Pennsylvania, and then completed basic training at Fort Benning, Georgia. After basic training, he completed parachute training and was sent to an airborne division during World War II, serving in New Guinea and other places in the Pacific.

Later, Lorelli served in the Korean War as a tank gunner. He felt there was a difference between his comrades who had served in WWII and those who did not; one soldier in his tank crew was a nervous eater and ate all the crew’s food.

Lorelli recalls being on the front lines during the Korean War. One time, his tank was pinned down and every time they would move, they would be pushed back. The war was like this at first, a lot of back and forth, but eventually the American soldiers and their allies pushed the North Korean troops back. He also remembers the enemy often showing up in hordes with no rifles, just sticks. They yelled and screamed to scare the American soldiers. Lorelli hated the cold weather and wished he could get sent home to escape it.

Years later, at the end of his career, Lorelli served in the Vietnam War. He retired from the Army in 1972. Lorelli was active in the Veterans of Foreign Wars service group, and often attended reunions.

Do you want to light up the face of a special Veteran? Have you been wondering how to tell your Veteran they are special to you? VA’s #VeteranOfTheDay social media feature is an opportunity to highlight your Veteran and his/her service.

It’s easy to nominate a Veteran. All it takes is an email to newmedia@va.gov with as much information as you can put together, along with some good photos. Visit our blog post about nominating to learn how to create the best submission.

Veterans History Project

This #VeteranOfTheDay profile was created with interviews submitted to the Veterans History Project. The project collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war Veterans so that future generations may hear directly from Veterans and better understand the realities of war. Find out more at http://www.loc.gov/vets/.

Contributors:

Graphic designer: Emma Catlett

Editor: Kaylee Hogsed

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Savannah Labbe

Savannah Labbe is a senior at Gettysburg College studying history and religious studies. She is originally from Belgrade, Maine and is currently a writing intern at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.